food, pancakes
Heaven on a plate
interior
outside
interior
Your personal private dinning room
sushi and sashimi, outside
sushi and sashimi, food, sashimi, sushi
Uni caviar fish roe mochi
sushi and sashimi, food
food, sashimi, sushi, sushi and sashimi
food, sushi, sashimi, sushi and sashimi
sushi and sashimi, sushi, sashimi, food
Seared ootoro
dessert, food
sashimi, sushi and sashimi, food, sushi
A nice finish
soups and chowder, drink
Nathan N.
Mar 4, 2025
Food and service were excellent! Do I need to say more?The restaurant seats 8 people at a time, perfect for an intimate dining experience.Yasu-san, Adrian, and Joy, great job! I will definitely be back again.
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Michael Y.
Feb 17, 2025
Dining at Taikun was a wonderfully intimate experience. 8 seats make every night an opportunity to watch Chef delicately prepare each dish. Adrian is an amazing host, personally greeting each guest and making us feel right at home. Plenty of opportunity to get to know your fellow guests and share other local and not so local favorite dining spots. The food lineup was delicious with most of the fish imported from Tokyo on a near daily basis. Fish caught Sunday night and purchased Monday at the fish market arrives here on Tuesday for chef to start preparing. Can't say enough about the sushi you will get to sample here. Nothing run of the mill!!
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Calvin L.
Oct 18, 2024
An amazing omakase experience! Service was one of the best I've experienced at any omakase and I've eaten at many different Michelin starred omakases in the past. Every dish that was served was fresh and excellent as well.Two dishes stood out to me the most: the fish roe appetizer served with uni, mochi, and caviar, along with a Hokkaido scallop nigiri. Both were phenomenal and rivaled bites I've had at omakases in Japan.This is a pop-up and they are leaving the Ritz at Dana point at the end of the year so if you're an omakase enthusiast in the area, I would highly recommend checking them out before they leave!
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Connie Y.
Feb 15, 2025
Easily the best Omakase in California. We had so much fun tonight. It's an 8 person Omakase experience and boy did it not disappoint. Adrian the host is freaking amazing. The people who you eat with make the night an unforgettable experience. It was 16 course of the best sushi you can experience. Lots of champagne and Soto and sake to go around. This Wes the best night of sushi I have ever experienced and I've been to Japan three times. Come and make a reservation and meet some new friends and thank me later. Happy Yelping!
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Rosie H.
Jun 23, 2024
There's either valet parking or parking in a lot down the street. Either one is convenient, as long as there isn't a huge wedding or event planned, otherwise the valet can get backed up.Ever since I saw the reservations posted on Tock, I've been wanting to come here. This my second time here. And from what I was told, they change their menu every two weeks. I'm thinking that I'll have to go back again. It's been a minute since I've been there and I've already forgotten what I had. The memorable pieces were the horse mackeral, baracuda, wagyu, uni, and abalone. Honestly, I loved everything that the chef put out and I could eat this every day. If someone has the menu, could they please send it to me. I'd love to remember the names if what I ate, if possible.The quality is supreme, everything was extremely fresh and the details in every piece was AMAZING and beautiful. I feel bad for those who have fish or shellfish allergies because they are missing out! They even had a special little chocolate edible sign that said happy birthday, because I was there for my belated birthday celebration with one of my closest friends.The ambiance is intimate as there are only a few seats and the doors close once everyone is in the room. It's about 1.5-2 hours of non-stop deliciousness.
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Mario S.
Jan 1, 2025
Happy New Year! Had a wonderful New Year Eve dinner there. A total dining experience you must try. Fresh, Fun, professionally curated for you! Cheers!
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Graeme H.
Apr 29, 2024
What is this? Why am I the first one here? Well, they say a photo is worth a thousand words so I'll just make a video :-)This is truly one of those IFYKYK type of places. A small, unlit sign, one foot in length off to your left as you approach the ocean bar inside the Ritz Carlton says Taikun. Taikun, Taikun, where do I know this name from, sounds familiar. Oh yes! I had bookmarked the famed spot in NYC. Ironically I didn't go there when I was there in December due to the $100 price tag for Omokase, but now, this short-term pop-up in the Ritz Carlton is twice the price (albeit local to me!). Could this be why I'm the first review? They say Taikun might end in summer with talks of extending the contract for one more year. Inside the small space, there are eight seats, all in front of the chef who works his magic creating raw fish into mouthwatering bites. Host Adrian is warm, inviting, kind, and helpful when pairing wine, sake or beverages. Also very attentive to guests needs, surprising me with an extra dessert when an allergy challenge presented itself.The space is absolutely perfect for Omokase. Focus on the food and chef, with no distractions. Good ambient music, lighting and hosts who appear and disappear magically as needed. This is a true five star experience and I can not wait to try the original in NYC now.
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Tabisky C.
Jun 28, 2024
We went for the first time in September 2023 and have returned a few times. The small space is limited to 9-10 patrons at the counter where you can observe the sushi chef doing his magic. Adrian is the host and explains the history of Taikun which originated in NY with pop-ups in Aspen, Miami and at the Ritz.If you crave fresh and unique fish slices, you will find it here. The service is impeccable and you will leave here thinking you were in Japan.
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steve r.
Jan 15, 2025
I've been to Taikun 4 or 5 times now. It's the best omakase experience in southern Orange County.It has private feel, which is nice. Like 8-10 people at the bar. 1 chef preparing everything. The food is outstanding! What really separates Taikun from anything else is Adrian, the host. He's otherworldly! He takes care of his people. I love the food, I love the ambiance, I love the service... but I keep returning because of Adrian.Love you, pal.If you're looking for a 5+ star sushi experience... look no further.
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Michael H.
Jan 3, 2025
Amazing experience. Brilliant setup. Best host! Omakase at Taikun is a very intimate dining experience with only 8 seats per seating. The host Adrian is super knowledgeable and entertaining and guides you through about 2 1/2 hours of dining bliss. The food is outstanding and you have the option to order any repeats at the end of the meal (for a surcharge, of course). The sake paring is spot on and I would suggest not to drive after the meal with pairing :-) If the Ritz is a bit too pricey (and it sure can be!) look into the Waldorf across the street to spend the night. It's a nice walk or a very short cab ride.Taikun's pricing, IMHO, is fair. The experience and the quality of the ingredients are top notch and I have had no regrets dropping about $700 on dinner for two (all in with tip, taxes, and add-ons.)I am glad that the Ritz-Carlton extended the lease for another year and we will be back another few times.
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